Coming to an Understanding Almost
by Beautiful Green Eyes
Summary: Harry knows his father saved Snape's life a full moon many years ago. What he didn't know though, was that Lily was also present...and needed to be saved just as much. COMPLETED!


"So when he goes out tonight, he will meet a very annoyed and hungry werewolf." Sirius finished with a smirk, and James stared at him. Sirius had had a lot of crazy ideas, but this was, by far, the craziest, and most dangerous. Sure, they hated Snape, but all the pranks they had played on him were harmless…well, except that one in potions class, but that had been an accident…at least, that's what they told everyone. And not only that, but this was taking advantage of Remus' problem, which was not at all fair.

"Sirius, have you gone mad!?" James said, and ran outside, cursing the fact that it was December, he had no jacket, was freezing cold, and, most of all, that the sun went down earlier.

He stopped as a gust of wind came and hit him in the face, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around him, his teeth chattering loud enough to wake the dead. _It would be a lot easier if Sirius was a dog permanently. At least then he couldn't find ways to kill Snape…no, worse, to turn him into a werewolf. Snape turns into a werewolf and he'll be after our blood…then there will be a lot more werewolves roaming around then there were at the start of school…and it will all be Sirius' fault, _James thought miserably as he approached the whomping willow, hoping to god he wasn't to late. Remus had told them to come a bit later, because he was sure the teachers were getting suspicious. _Well, they'll be a lot more suspicious if Snape all of a sudden turns into a werewolf, _James thought to himself.

Cursing (again) the fact that Peter wasn't here to push the knot, James picked up a big stick and starting poking at the roots of the violent tree, finally striking the knot that caused the tree to stop moving.

He looked at his watch, and panicked. Snape had had 15 minutes to get out here already; he could already be too late. He quickly changed into a magnificent stag, and bounded into the passage that lead to the Shrieking Shack.

Well James was hurrying out to the whomping willow, desperate to save Snape, Lily Evans was outside, desperate to get out of the noisy common room. She went over to her favourite beech tree and sat down, huddling under her school robes, wondering why she didn't realise it was going to be a lot more colder then it was in October. She knew it wasn't safe to be out this late, what with the Death Eaters and the fact that Voldemort was gaining power, and, after all, tonight was a full moon, but she didn't really give that a second thought.

She leaned her head against the tree, and looked up at the stars, each one representing a different thing. She had always loved the ways centaurs worked, what with the planets and the stars. She believed each one held a secret, one for each person in the world. Who knew, maybe she was looking up at a star that held one of her secrets…

As Lily was looking up at the stars, James was bounding into the whomping willow. She looked up and saw a figure of something bounding into the whomping willow. She got up and started to walk towards the willow…and stopped. Something dangerous could be going on down there…Remus could be down there, after all. Lily knew Remus was a werewolf. She was the one who had convinced him to tell his friends (though she had also asked him why he wanted friends like James Potter and Sirius Black) that he was a werewolf, though she didn't know if they had done anything about it. But maybe Remus was down there…she knew he didn't go home, that was for sure, so maybe that's where Dumbledore had taken him to do his transformation…

Lily, for her own safety, decided not to go down into the tree, but, to quench her curiosity, sat down against a rock, fairly close to the usually violent tree. And that is where she waited.

James bounded into the willow, but then decided to turn into his human form. If Snape found out he was an unregistered animagus, he would be in deep trouble…

He could hear howls. This wasn't good. Not only was Snape in great danger, but if Sirius didn't show up, Remus would start causing himself pain, which wouldn't be very good. _Once again, Sirius' fault._

James could see what possibly could have been the best thing that he had seen this entire day. A head of greasy black hair. There was Snape. But there was also the staircase of the shrieking shack. And…

James heart stopped. Remus hadn't made it upstairs. And he was now sniffing the air, and James knew exactly what he smelt.

Human.

Worse (or better, depending on if you're a werewolf or a human).

Two humans.

James saw Snape stop. No doubt about it, Snape saw Remus. And worse, Remus saw Snape.

James ran forward and grabbed Snape tightly around the arm. Snape turned around and looked at James, panic written all over his face.

"Get out of here!" James said to him, quietly despite the fact that Remus was clearly aware of their presence. Snape nodded and they ran out of the passage.

But the problem is, when you're alone, the first people who come along, you generally want to go along with them.

James and Snape could see the outside, just a few feet away. But they could also hear the sound of paws coming along the passage. Remus wasn't giving up that easily.

They quickly scrambled out, and James was extremely happy that it was to dark for anyone to distinguish anything. As soon as they were out, he yelled at Snape to get into the castle, so he could transform (though of course he didn't say that) and Snape did exactly as he was told. James walked quickly up to make sure the door was closed tight, and, even though he knew he shouldn't, he closed his eyes and rested, though only for a second.

It was in that second that a scream broke the silence of the night.

James opened his eyes and looked over at the willow. He swore quietly.

Lily Evans was backing slowly towards the lake, watching with horror stricken eyes the werewolf that was advancing on her.

James looked at the scene before him, petrified. He only came back to reality when Sirius Black came running out the door he was standing before.

"What took you so long!?" James shouted at Sirius.

"McGonagall held me up! But we have bigger problems!"

Sirius transformed into a dog and ran off towards Remus. James transformed into a stag and ran off after him. Gaining speed, he slammed into the werewolf, knocking him to the ground. Sirius then jumped on him, and growling, let him get to his feet. He then bit his heels and growled at him, causing him to back towards the whomping willow. Once he was at the entrance, Sirius ran in, and Remus went running after him.

Lily watched, transfixed at the scene before her. Remus _did_ go to the willow, which probably led somewhere…but she didn't know. And where had the dog and stag come from? Lily slowly backed towards the castle, desperate to get out of there, but stags could be dangerous, and she didn't want to get rammed into to. She made her way towards the doors, but stopped as the stag turned to look at her. She breathed slowly and softly, not moving. The stag started to come towards her, and Lily closed her eyes, expecting the worst.

But the worst didn't come. Instead, she opened her eyes and saw James Potter standing where the stag had been just seconds before.

"What is going on around here?" She whispered, staring at James with a confused expression on her face.

"Long story, but I have to help Sirius so I'll make it short-"

"Sirius?"

"Sirius, Peter and I became animagi to help Remus every full moon. Animals aren't affected by werewolf bites, so we could help him without turning into werewolves ourselves."

Lily nodded. She knew all that already. Well, except the animagus part.

"We couldn't tell anyone, because we're unregistered animagi."

"You're what!?"

"Yes! Sirius led Snape out tonight, so I came out here to stop him, and I did, but it led Remus out here, and you were also out here. Very stupid mind you, seeing as you know Remus is a werewolf. And then Remus was going to attack you, but Sirius came out, finally, and turned into a dog and me into a stag. Then Sirius led Remus down to the Shrieking Shack, which is where the willow is planted, and now I'm here talking to you but I have to go help Sirius, and you really should leave."

Lily stared. She didn't really follow all that. Something about Snape and Remus, unregistered animagi, the Shrieking Shack, and James turning into a stag. However, the get out of here she understood, and starting running towards the door. She was just about to turn back to say thanks to James, but she could only see a stag running into the willow.

James woke u in the morning, sore. Last night had been rough, and he hoped he never had to repeat it again. He had yelled at Sirius last night, of course not in front of Remus, and then climbed wearily into bed.

He got up and went downstairs, not caring about his hair or the fact that he was still in his pyjamas.

He came down to find that the couch was occupied by Lily Evans, who was writing in her diary, but quickly closed it when she saw James.

"Hi." She said uncertainly, as though she was afraid he might snap back at her how stupid she had been last night.

"Hi." He replied in a tired voice. James was not a big fan of the mornings.

"Hey, um, I just, well, I wanted to say, um…" She stammered.

"Come again?"

She took a deep breath and said, "Thanks for last night. You know, saving me and everything." James stared at her. Lily had never apologized to James, not since 2nd year.

"Well, your welcome, but I mean, any decent person would have saved you." He told her.

"Yes, but the way I treat you everyday, you should have let me get away on my own." She said, getting up and walking over to him.

He smiled at her, then said, "Yes, but Evans, you couldn't have gotten away."

"Are you calling me weak James Potter?"

"No, I'm calling you slow."

"I can run!"

"Oh everybody can run. Just not as fast as everybody else."

Lily glared at him and stomped up the stairs. James let out a sigh. He had to go and ruin the moment. Although, she _was_ slow.

They had come to an understanding…almost.


End file.
